Briefly explain three of the basic views of salvation outside the Church, as presented by Sanders.

Briefly explain three of the basic views of salvation outside the Church, as presented by Sanders.

Agnosticism is one of Sander’s significant views of salvation. Christians who follow that view believe that God’s primary intention was to save people from sin and eternal suffering by sending Jesus as a savior ¹. For that reason, anyone who believes in Christ receives salvation. Such arguments could mean that non-Christians are not saved and are destined for eternal suffering. However, agnosticists avoid that conclusion by saying that the available information about salvation is inadequate to draw reliable conclusions ². They believe that only God knows the truth about the right way t salvation. Agnosticism view can also be supported through biblical verses such as Genesis 18:25, which states that one should not judge but instead leave it to the most superior judge, God ³. However, some Christians believe that the information about salvation is enough to know the people who will receive salvation and those that will not.

Parity Pluralism is another view presented by Sanders. Pluralists believe that Christianity is not the only way to get saved ⁴. All religions of the world appear to focus on a similar being, a factor which shows that makes it difficult for one to know the ones that should be made superior over others. Besides, all the religions have all the needed information to conclude. For that reason, no religion is superior to the other because all of them are forms of human responses to reality ⁵.

1. Sanders, John. “Evangelical Responses to Salvation Outside the Church.” Christian Scholar’s Review 24, no. 1 (1994): 46.
2. Ibid 51
3. Ibid 53
4. Ibid
5. Ibid

Pluralism is also against the belief that God’s main intention is to save everyone. That idea is based on the fact that some religions do not provide any information related to that. The lack of narratives of salvation in Buddhism and Hinduism does not mean that the stated religions are inferior to those that have them 6. Pluralists are also against the belief that Jesus is the only way to salvation. If that were true, then people who believe in other religions would be forced to convert to Christianity to get saved. That, in a way, would make Christianity superior to other religions, something that contradicts with reality.

Exclusivism is also a significant view presented by Sanders. Exclusivists believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation. That argument means that non-Christians are not saved because they are outside of Jesus ⁷. Exclusivists also believe in the idea that God intends to save humans from sin and chose to use his only son for that purpose. Therefore, religions that do not believe in Jesus have no salvic value and are destined for eternal punishment. The teachings of such faiths are not revelations from God and do not lead people in the Godly way for that reason ⁸. Exclusivists believe that salvation only exists in a soul that believes in the gospel of Jesus and the knowledge about his existence and impact in human life. Some exclusivists believe that even though non-Christians are not saved, almost all will get the revelation of the “truth” and receive the salvation of Jesus.

1. Sanders, John. “Evangelical Responses to Salvation Outside the Church.” Christian Scholar’s Review 24, no. 1 (1994): 46.
2. Ibid 46
3. Ibid

2.) Briefly present two arguments in favor of restrictivism

Restrictivism is one of the significant views of salvation. One can only get saved if they get to know about Jesus and believe in his gospel ⁹. One can only do so while alive, which means that one’s destiny is determined before one dies. Restrictivists oppose the idea that God intends to save everyone. They believe that God chose to save only a limited number of people. He sent his son Jesus through whom everyone receives eternal life. For that reason, those that do not believe in the son are destined to eternal punishment ¹⁰. The people who died without knowing or believing in Jesus were not meant to get saved and are destined for eternal punishment.

Everyone was meant to be punished for their ungodly ways on Earth. For that reason, God sent Jesus to redeem only a limited number of people. God could not use the idea to save everyone because some people would reject the teachings of Jesus ¹¹. Restrictivism is based on the idea that no single object on Earth can receive the acceptance of all humans, including Jesus. For that reason, God’s decision to send his only begotten son was not meant to save everyone, but only a few who willingly choose to learn about the gospel of Jesus and believe in him. Even though the non-Christian religions will not receive salvation, they still have the opportunity to believe in Jesus and receive salvation even after death ¹². Before dying, one has the opportunity to convert by following and believing in the gospel of Jesus taught by human agents. After death, one can choose whether to follow the gospel taught by angels and dreams. In conclusion, the most significant idea that summarizes restrictivism is that God intends to save people but only on a small scale.

1. Sanders, John. “Evangelical Responses to Salvation Outside the Church.” Christian Scholar’s Review 24, no. 1 (1994): 46.
2. Ibid 47
3. Ibid
4. Ibid

Bibliography

Sanders, John. “Evangelical Responses to Salvation Outside the Church.” Christian Scholar’s Review 24, no. 1 (1994): 46.